Tributes have been paid to the late Dr. Fiona Maloney who passed away on Friday at Cavan General Hospital.
Cllr Clifford Kelly who was a close friend of the Kingscourt native led tributes at yesterday's local authority meeting.
The meeting heard that Fiona led a life dedicated to education in an effort to benefit so many people and to deliver wonderful changes in the education sphere. One tribute paid to her was that she was the heart and Soul of Cavan Institute and Cavan VEC, blazing a trail to the very top. Cavan Councillors described her as a champion of access to education who made an enormous impact on further and higher education.
Cllr Clifford Kelly said Dr Maloney was a person that was very approachable and he was saddened by her passing. Cllr John Paul Feeley said that Tánaiste Simon Harris attending her reposal was a testament to what she had done for higher Education through her career.
Cllr Noel Connell offered his condolences to Fiona's family on her sad passing. Cllr Patricia Walsh said she knew Fiona for along time and said she made a huge benefit to so many peoples lives adding that she was highly respected. Cllr Winston Bennett said it was very sad news and she was a huge loss to education in Cavan and Monaghan and across the country. The Chair of the CMETB, Cllr Carmel Brady expressed her sadness at the passing of Dr Fiona Maloney, adding that she worked to better the people of the region through the years.
Cllr Shane P O'Reilly described her as a formidable force and said she would be huge loss to education, he said Dr Maloney was a leading light when it came to education. Cllr Aine Smith said she was exemplary and articulate in her professional career down through the years who has helped so many people across the region never mind the country. Cllr Trevor Smith, Cllr Philip Brady, Cllr Niamh Brady, Cllr Val Smith, Cllr Stiofan Conaty, Cllr Damien Brady, Cllr Niall Smith all expressed their condolences on the sad passing of Dr Fiona Maloney.
Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Eoin Doyle expressed his condolences to her family, her husband Thomas, her children Chloe, Fía and Evan, father Austin, mother Nuala, brother Andrew, father-in-law Benny, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nephews, relatives, neighbours, work colleagues and many friends.
Mr Doyle said her death has come as a great loss for the county of Cavan. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
